The Turkey March 5K

The Turkey March 5K takes place in Harrisburg, Missouri, on November 21, 2026. The program is a single 5K (3.1 miles) that starts at 8:00 a.m., a Thanksgiving-week race in a small Missouri town.

A 5K in late November is a good way to close out the running year or to kick off a training block for spring. If you are new to the distance, three runs a week for six weeks, gradually stretching one of them to 30 or 35 minutes, will get you to the finish comfortably. Runners with a few races behind them can aim for a personal best: the distance is short enough that pacing matters from the first step, so try to run the first mile at goal pace rather than faster, and save the push for the final kilometer. With an 8:00 a.m. start, eat something light about two hours ahead, jog for ten minutes before the start and keep a warm layer on until the last minute.